Morning Briefing, 26th February

Well I'm back in Cork after USI LGBT Standing Conference, where I was re-elected to Working Group on the 3rd count! Also congrats to Ms. Sonya Donneally who was elected unanimously as the new LGBTRO! woo! (P.S. If anyone wants to know what motions where passed email me!)

In the news today!

The International Court of Justice, is due to deliver its verdict today on whether ot not Serbia is responsible for Genocide 'through the killing, torture, rape and expulsion of Bosnian Muslims' (CNN, RTÉ, Breakingnews) If passed, it will be the first time that a state, rather than an individual or group, has been held responsible for genocide.

Nurses begin there industrial action today with a protest outside CUH (Breakingnews, RTÉ) The INO and PNA are seeking a 10% pay increase for their members and a reduction in their working week to 35 hours.

Israel is after performing a raid on the West Bank, it has now entered its second day (RTÉ, Breakingnews)

Jean-Marie Le Pen has laucned his latest bid for the french presidency (France 24, CNN) He has put forward an anti-immigration, ultranationalist stance, pledging to cut off social benefits for foreigners and deporting those who are unable to fend for themselves. He is having difficulty getting 500 mayors to back him.

Talks begin today in London on Iran's Nuclear program. (CNN, France 24). The P5 and Germany are meeting to discuss the next course of action. Israel is denying that its has plans to attack Iran's Nuclear facilities (France 24) and the USA have plans to bomb Iran according to Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh (CNN)

Thats its for now!

Nigeria - Update

After my last post on Nigeria, I've found two interesting blog posts over on FACT OR FICTION on the issue. One is a post on Nigeria's human right obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The second is an open letter to the President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo.

USI LGBT have a page on their website about Nigeria, and what they are advocating to do, including contact details for the Nigerian Embassy in Dublin.

Organisations supporting the abandonment of this Bil:

Africa Action, United States

African Human Rights Organization, Cameroon

Alliance Rights, Nigeria

Center for Democracy and Development, Nigeria

Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Droits de l'Homme - Démocratie et Justice Transitionnelle, Democratic Republic of Congo

Civil Liberties Organization, Nigeria

Global Rights, United States

Human Rights Watch, United States

International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, United States

International Commission of Jurists, Switzerland

International Service for Human Rights, Switzerland

Legal Defense and Assistance Project, Nigeria

National Black Justice Coalition, United States

Support Project in Nigeria, Nigeria

University of Pretoria - Centre for Human Rights, South Africa

*UPDATE* the proposed bill is a on the USI LGBT website (PDF)

Blood Ban Bebo!

Further from my last post on the blood ban, Steven Conlon, USI LGBTRO, has set up a bebo profile on the blood ban campaign. I think its an excellent idea to get the message out to Irish students as they make up a huge number of users on bebo! So add it as your friend and try and make it on the 1st of March at TCD front square!

Blood Ban Protest March 1st!

From the USI LGBT Website

We will be assembling from 12.30pm on Thursday March 1st, in the Front Square of Trinity College Dublin, and then, - route subject to Garda clearance, - marching to the Department of Health on Hawkin’s Street. There will be a short demonstration there, with one or two guest speakers, and there will then begin a 24-hour vigil outside the department.

!!COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT DURING LUNCH!!

Giving blood is seen as a civic duty in many countries as it allows many life-saving operations to take place. But imagine your are not allowed to give blood, not because you are a IV drug user or engaged in unsafe sex, but for the simple fact you are Gay.

This is highly discriminatory and has been continually opposed by USI LGBT

What is disgusting and homophobic about this is the assumption that ALL gay and bisexual men behave the same sexually. So if you are a gay or bisexual man who has been with the same partner for 30 years, if you always practice safer sex, if you have a certificate to say you are HIV negative, it doesn't matter because in the eyes of the so called medical experts you are a risk factor.

Demonstrate against Ireland's most Discriminatory Club!

Some slogans I got from Facebook:

Donation not Discriminaton
I Was Told I COULDN'T Save a Life Today!
Stop the Hate: Let Gays Donate!
I'm Pissed Because I Can't Give Blood

Red is the colour of the event so wear it with Pride!

Union of Students of Ireland, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Campaign New Website Launched

USI LGBT Campaign has launched its new website usilgbt.org. This site has many sections which should prove to be a resource on all LGBT subjects for students, welfare officers and people interested in LGBT subjects. It has a substansive Downlaod Section and Links Section. It also has News Section and other sections on its varied ampgins and on the working group itself. It also host its own forum